A Woolly Hibernation

Yes, forget the last post entitled 'Sunshine!' as I haven't seen any since! In fact, it's reverted back to the depths of winter again. Luckily, we have missed another round of the white stuff where we are on the coast, but it still has been bitter. Just realised I'm talking about the weather already... but I am English after all! The sun must have peeped out one little bit in the last 3 weeks, as I managed to get in the garden with the Little Lady and play around with my camera. I absolutely love Spring flowers, and was excited to see the first of the bulbs in full bloom. I took the opportunity whilst the sun made an appearance to admire the beautiful crocuses, and snapped a couple of pictures. After getting the focus just right, I was amazed to see the level of detail in those tiny flowers - they are so lovely! Little P was suitably impressed with them too, before kicking a football on them and trampling them a bit!

It's been a funny few weeks, with not much time for sitting down and doing, well... this, writing. Little P has been full of beans and keeping me busy - she is really coming out of her shell now and is quite the entertainer it seems. I have also been squeezing in the crochet when she has gone to bed in the evenings.
My main 'make' lately has been a kind of changing mat pouch thing to take around in my bag with me. I am now fed up of taking the old changing bag everywhere with me, as I hardly ever need to use anything inside it. But I couldn't possibly risk being without a spare nappy and wipes! I wanted to make a crochet-covered changing mat which I could roll up with all the necessary bits inside. It was also a good excuse to dip into Lily Sugar 'n' Cream stash I bought from the US a while back and never had the chance to use!
I wanted to make the cover a stripy, colourful affair, but using a nicer stitch than just rows of double crochet. I researched a bit, and found a pattern in one of my books (Basic Crochet Stitches, 250 to Crochet by Erika Knight). Then I just picked out the colours and got started. The rectangle made up in no time at all, and I really love the colours of this yarn and how they work together.
I then dismantled a travel changing mat, and stitched it on to the rectangle. I then made a couple of button loops, stitched on the buttons, and voila! My changing mat was complete!
All rolled up...

Laid out in full...

Little Lady likes it...

And a close up of the stitching and colours...

And full of nappies and wipes!

There also seems to be a baby boom at the moment, so I've been spending a lot of time making baby related goods, toys and rattles and blankets! And as they are all surprise presents I can't show any! I'm now going to go and carry on with a monkey I'm making, and stay nicely hibernated on the sofa with my crocheted blankets. Until next time...